Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Champions League football must be on the agenda for Liverpool next season, but says earning a top-four finish will be tougher than ever.
The Reds' outside hopes of challenging Chelsea for the Premier League title have come to a halt following a recent run of poor form that saw them collect three points from a possible 15.
Liverpool now sit one point outside of the congested European berths, with just four points between Manchester City in second and Manchester United in sixth.
Klopp believes that qualifying for the Champions League is tougher in England than any other division on the continent, but says that must be the overriding target for his side rather than settling for the Europa League.
"Things that I don't have, I don't miss," he told the Liverpool Echo. "But of course I enjoyed being in that competition a lot and that's where we want to be. To achieve that we need to qualify. We didn't qualify this season. We are working to go there as soon as possible. We saw this week again what a strong competition the Europa League is too.
"Strong teams, intense games. We enjoyed it last season, well we did until the last match day! We had some wonderful games in that competition. But of course the Champions League is THE competition. We want to be part of it. To get there we have to win a few games. We are in the race. Nothing has been decided until now. Six good teams going for four places.
"I am sure that England has to be the most difficult league in order to qualify for the Champions League, 100%. It's probably easier to go through to the next round from the group stage of the Champions League than it is to qualify in the first place in England. We know it. It's all good. Everyone knows where we could be with a few more points and all that stuff, but even then nothing would be decided. Our position is absolutely okay. We have to use it."
Liverpool, who returned to winning ways with victory over Tottenham Hotspur last time out, are back in action on February 27 when taking on Leicester City.
Daniel Lewis
